The colors of the shrubs and flowers slowly revealed themselves as dawn broke, faint shades of green and red brightening with the rising sun. The air felt fresh, but heavy with expectation.
In a short while, the palace would awaken. Maids would scurry through the courtyards, dusting corners, preparing meals, and vying to please their mistresses.
I would have been among them, carrying trays and bowing endlessly, if I had not accepted that offer.
"From here, the path will take some time," Renshu said, his tone flat yet commanding. "You are still dressed as a maid. If anyone sees you walking beside me, it will invite suspicion. Keep your face hidden."
I nodded, but my thoughts wandered elsewhere. My mind was heavy with doubt. What exactly would happen from now on? Would Shuyin's warning prove true?
We walked past endless storehouses and stretches of barren land. The palace grounds were vast—larger than I had ever dared to imagine. My steps faltered.
I had never ventured this far before. How would I ever meet Shuyin again if the gates were even further away than that storehouse? The thought unsettled me.
Without warning, Renshu tugged my wrist sharply, pulling me into a narrow path between two looming structures. My body nearly stumbled against the uneven stones, but I caught myself, just barely keeping my balance.
I opened my mouth to protest, but my words died the moment I lifted my gaze.
"This is where I live," he declared, his voice tinged with pride. He gestured toward a massive palace looming ahead. "Impressive, isn't it?"
Intimidating—that was my first thought.
The palace loomed like a beast of midnight, cloaked in shadow and menace. Its walls were a dark, weathered gray, and the roofs shimmered in a pitch-black hue, like smoldering ashes after a great fire.
The very sight sent a shiver down my spine, the sensation was like meeting the eyes of a great bat in the dead of night.
"You can ogle later. For now, we need to get inside quickly," he said curtly, dragging me forward again.
I risked a glance back as we moved, and at last, I understood. The narrow path had not been random, it was deliberate.
The palace had been carefully hidden, tucked behind towering storehouses that blocked it entirely from common sight. Unless you knew this route, you would never know the building even existed.
The structure itself was vast, commanding in size. A stretch of grassy land spread before it, fresh and alive, a sharp contrast to the oppressive black exterior.
The clash of colors made it seem even more out of place, as though the earth itself resisted such a shadow dwelling upon it.
We approached the gate, where a heavy lock clicked open at Renshu's hand. He shoved me firmly past the threshold before closing it behind us with finality.
Inside, the palace exuded both grandeur and unease.
The main hall stretched out before me, lined with tall windows draped in gray curtains. A long table dominated the center, surrounded by carved wooden chairs so dark they almost gleamed black.
The walls bore intricate designs and floral motifs, though the gloom of their palette stole away much of their beauty. Beneath my feet lay black carpets, swallowing the light that dared to touch them.
The silence pressed upon me. There was no trace of life, no servants bustling about, no distant chatter.
"This way," Renshu ordered, leading me through the hall. We stopped before a pair of towering doors, polished and imposing. He pushed them open with ease, revealing a private chamber within.
The room was lavish but suffocating. A massive bed stood at its heart, flanked by a desk, a single chair, and a shelf lined with scrolls and books. Dark curtains hung at the windows, allowing only a sliver of dawn to enter.
Renshu strode inside casually, tossing himself onto the bed as though it were his throne. His movements were relaxed, almost careless.
"This is my room," he said, stretching. "You'll be staying in the spare room upstairs… unless, of course, you'd prefer this one." He looked at me curiously.
I frowned. "And if I stayed here, where would you be?"
His seemed taken aback. "I would also be here. But—never mind." He cut himself off with a sigh.
As he leaned back against the pillows, I noticed something else. His clothes, too, were always in shades of gray or black. Even when dressed in his martial uniform, no trace of color adorned him.
"Why is this palace hidden?" I asked at last, unable to hold my curiosity.
He gave me a look, half pity and half disbelief. "Because I live here. Do you truly not see the reason?"
My confused expression made him give out another sigh.
"You're good at planning, yet hopeless at understanding society," he said dryly. "I am a general. My decisions can sway the military and even the empire's future. That makes me a target. If I were captured, my choices could be twisted into weapons against this nation."
His words made sense, but a question lingered. "Then why is the emperor not hidden in the same way?"
At this, Renshu laughed, loud and genuine. His amusement grated against me.
"Your roots from the south show every time you speak," he teased. "Even within the emperor's massive palace, finding him is nearly impossible. Not to mention the hundreds of guards shadowing him at every step. Trust me, he needs no such precautions."
His arrogance irritated me. He spoke as though all of this was common knowledge, yet how could someone like me, raised far from the capital, ever know these things? I wanted to pierce that pride, to make him flinch as he had made me.
"Then why bring me here, if you're so vulnerable?" I asked pointedly.
His brows furrowed. He caught my meaning instantly.
"You are not a threat. Not strong enough."
I smiled faintly. "But I defeated you in our duel, didn't I? I could easily overpower—"
Renshu's expression hardened. He stood abruptly, frustration flashing in his eyes.
"That's enough," he snapped. His glare reminded me to be silent, though I couldn't help the spark of satisfaction warming inside. I had rattled him, if only slightly.
"When did you become so talkative?" he muttered, his voice sharp but quieter now. "By the pond, you could barely utter a word."
He wasn't wrong. Something about his informality had loosened my tongue. Or perhaps it was his constant jabs that made me reckless.
"By now I would be asleep," he continued, rubbing his forehead. "But instead, I must teach you."
Perhaps he had forgotten that he was the one excited about making me an official.
He motioned toward the desk. I hesitated before seating myself, watching as he hauled a massive book from the shelf and dropped it onto the wood with a resounding thud.
"This will be your foundation," he said. "It covers the history of past empires—their crisises, their triumphs, the choices that shaped them. As an official, you will not only require strength, but wisdom."
He flipped the book open, revealing pages thick with questions and notes.
"Since you'll serve under the military, your duties will be many. You must understand expenditures, strategy, the economy of war. You must know not just how to wield a blade, but how to outthink an enemy and keep this empire safe."
His gaze fixed on me, sharp and unwavering. "Can you manage that?"
I swallowed and glanced at the endless sums scrawled across the parchment. The weight of it all pressed heavily against me, but I forced myself to nod.
"Good," he said simply. "Study. I'll be sleeping."
And with that, he left me to the silence of his hidden palace, alone with nothing but the heavy book and the daunting future it promised.